Man accused of homicide, standoff charged in Anchorage

Posted: Monday, February 21, 2011

By RACHEL D’ORO

ANCHORAGE — A 51-year-old man accused of killing his girlfriend’s son and holding the woman and another person hostage in a remote Alaska village has been charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping, authorities said.

Mike Simon surrendered Sunday morning after a daylong standoff in the western Alaska community of Scammon Bay, Alaska State Troopers said.

Simon and his girlfriend were arguing Saturday morning at the woman’s home when Simon fatally shot her 19-year-old son, Irvin Wilson, troopers said.

Two others in the house left uninjured. But Simon, still armed, forced his girlfriend to go to his father’s nearby home, according to troopers. Four people were at that home and three were allowed to leave.

The girlfriend and a man stayed inside the house with Simon.

Despite worsening weather, some troopers from the town of Bethel about 150 miles to the southeast managed to respond to the community of 525 people. But blowing snow and poor visibility prevented a larger response from the Bethel post, troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said.

After negotiators reached Simon by phone, the other man in the home was allowed to leave. Soon after, the girlfriend managed to escape, but Simon remained holed up inside.

Through the night, troopers stayed in contact with Simon, trying to get him to surrender, according to Peters.

Simon, however, indicated he was suicidal and would hurt anyone who tried to enter the home, troopers said.

He surrendered just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday and was being held without bail in Scammon Bay. Peters said Simon will be transferred to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel when the weather improves.